March 31, 2012

'Coz He Can Play ~ Simply Divine Orange & Polenta Cake

I found out last night that I am a tearjerky. (Is that even a word?)

This, at our son's first strings concert where he was playing the Viola. All these months of what sounded like a donkey braying has magically added up to music. I was so proud, I teared up as the first 'D' string notes floated across the room.

And I thought, so I am a gusher. I now officially belong to that group of Mums who tear up every time their kid does anything worthwhile. Who knew?

I think it means so much more to me because even though I grew up in a family where music is a heart line, I myself never learned to play an instrument. So I feel so proud that at such a young age, my kids are learning to read sheet music and play. What a gift - to be able to channel all of life's tumultuous moments into beautiful music. I am so grateful for schools like his where the Arts Programs flourish, are encouraged and supported.

Wasn't it Nietzche who said, "Without music life would be a mistake." And coming from a man who spoke of darkness and the abyss of the human soul, I'd say he was onto something.

So at the end of the day, I am still me and the only music I play is one with pots, pans and spatulas. So I do what I know best, I bake. My music in response to his.

This Italian inspired cake is a variation on a traditional Semolina cake I have been making forever. A classic tea cake reminiscent of the time of the Raj, bridge parties, the gymkhanas and cummerbanded servers, it seemed like a fitting cake as I think of all the beautiful music that has wafted over time, from the long forgotten mouths of gramophones.

Also required is a 9" non-stick spring foam pan, non-stick baking sprawy & parchment paper. An electric stand mixer will produce best results but an immersion hand mixer can also do the job.

Prepare the ingredients :

Preheat the oven to 325 deg F.

Oranges for the cake - Zest the oranges using a zester (love my Microplane for this) and reserve the zest. Halve and juice the oranges. Strain the juice through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the pulp and set aside the juice.

Orange for the glaze - Halve and juice the orange and set the juice aside in a small sauce pan.

Measure ingredients by weight using a kitchen scale :

Eggs - In a small jug, crack the eggs, discard the shells and beat the eggs with a wire whisk.

Flour mixture - Combine the all-purpose flour & the baking powder. Using a sieve held high above a clean, dry mixing bowl, sift the flour into the bowl to air the flour as much as possible

Cake pan - Spray the bottom of the spring foam pan with baking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

Place the butter & sugar in the bowl of the lectric stand mixer or a mixing bowl. Cream the butter and sugar for a few minutes on low-medium setting till light & fluffy.

Pour the egg mixture in little at a time. Adding the beaten eggs little at a time allows for a smooth mixture without any separation.

While the batter is still beating, add the polenta & orange zest and combine.

Add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until just combined. Do not over work the batter or the batter will deflate.

Empty the batter in the cake pan. With a spatula smooth the top surface as much as possible.

Bake in the hot oven for 35-40 minutes until the cake is a golden brown and a skewer comes out clean when pierced in the center of the cake. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Do not remove the cake from the pan.

While the cake is baking, to the orange juice reserved in the sauce pan for the glaze, add the sugar and on medium heat, simmer for 10 minutes.

The glaze will be slightly thick and syrupy. Set aside to cool. The glaze will thicken as it cools.

Once the cake is out of the oven and has cooled for a few minutes, using a bamboo skewer, poke a few holes in the surface of the cake. Run a knife along the edge of the cake.

Pour the glaze over the cake and with a pastry brush liberally apply the glaze over the entire top surface of the cake.

The glaze will seep into the cake. Once the cake has cooled for about 30 minutes or so, remove from the pan and cool completely on a baking rack or serve warm.

Moist, incredibly flavorful, with the sweet bite of corn, wafting with the scent of oranges, each bite is will transport you to an orchard where the air is heavy with the scent of orange blossoms.

Recipe for

Simply Divine Orange & Polenta Cake

Serves 4-6

Shopping list

9 oz softened unsalted butter

9 oz powdered/confectioner's sugar

4 large eggs

5 oz polenta (I used Bob's Red Mill Corn Grits/Polenta),

7 oz all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

zest & juice of 2 oranges

Glaze : juice of 1 orange & 1/2 cup powdered/confectioner's sugar

Also required is a 9" non-stick spring foam pan, non-stick baking sprawy & parchment paper. An electric stand mixer will produce best results but an immersion hand mixer can also do the job.

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325 deg F.

Oranges for the cake - Zest the oranges using a zester (love my Microplane for this) and reserve the zest. Halve and juice the oranges. Strain the juice through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the pulp and set aside the juice.

Orange for the glaze - Halve and juice the orange and set the juice aside in a small sauce pan.

Butter & Sugar - Measure ingredients by weight using a kitchen scale.

Eggs - In a small jug, crack the eggs, discard the shells and beat the eggs with a wire whisk.

Flour mixture - Measure ingredients by weight using a kitchen scale. Combine the all-purpose flour & the baking powder. Using a sieve held high above a clean, dry mixing bowl, sift the flour into the bowl to air the flour as much as possible

Cake pan - Spray the bottom of the spring foam pan with baking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

Method:

Place the butter & sugar in the bowl of the electric stand mixer or a mixing bowl. Cream the butter and sugar for a few minutes on low-medium setting till light & fluffy.

Pour the egg mixture in little at a time. Adding the beaten eggs little at a time allows for a smooth mixture without any separation.

While the batter is still beating, add the polenta & orange juice & zest and combine.

Add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until just combined. Do not over work the batter or the batter will deflate.

Empty the batter in the cake pan. With a spatula smooth the top surface as much as possible.

Bake in the hot oven for 35-40 minutes until the cake is a golden brown and a skewer comes out clean when pierced in the center of the cake. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Do not remove the cake from the pan.

While the cake is baking, to the orange juice reserved in the sauce pan for the glaze, add the sugar and on medium heat, simmer for 10 minutes.

The glaze will be slightly thick and syrupy. Set aside to cool. The glaze will thicken as it cools.

Once the cake is out of the oven and has cooled for a few minutes, using a bamboo skewer, poke a few holes in the surface of the cake. Run a knife along the edge of the cake.

Pour the glaze over the cake and with a pastry brush liberally apply the glaze over the entire top surface of the cake.

The glaze will seep into the cake. Once the cake has cooled for about 30 minutes or so, remove from the pan and cool completely on a baking rack or serve warm.

Comments

'Coz He Can Play ~ Simply Divine Orange & Polenta Cake

I found out last night that I am a tearjerky. (Is that even a word?)

This, at our son's first strings concert where he was playing the Viola. All these months of what sounded like a donkey braying has magically added up to music. I was so proud, I teared up as the first 'D' string notes floated across the room.

And I thought, so I am a gusher. I now officially belong to that group of Mums who tear up every time their kid does anything worthwhile. Who knew?

I think it means so much more to me because even though I grew up in a family where music is a heart line, I myself never learned to play an instrument. So I feel so proud that at such a young age, my kids are learning to read sheet music and play. What a gift - to be able to channel all of life's tumultuous moments into beautiful music. I am so grateful for schools like his where the Arts Programs flourish, are encouraged and supported.

Wasn't it Nietzche who said, "Without music life would be a mistake." And coming from a man who spoke of darkness and the abyss of the human soul, I'd say he was onto something.

So at the end of the day, I am still me and the only music I play is one with pots, pans and spatulas. So I do what I know best, I bake. My music in response to his.

This Italian inspired cake is a variation on a traditional Semolina cake I have been making forever. A classic tea cake reminiscent of the time of the Raj, bridge parties, the gymkhanas and cummerbanded servers, it seemed like a fitting cake as I think of all the beautiful music that has wafted over time, from the long forgotten mouths of gramophones.